Oldham MP Debbie Abrahams has sensationally accused the Government of contributing to the deaths of vulnerable people due to sanctioning benefit claims in order to improve figures.

The Oldham East and Saddleworth constituent publicly lambasted the secretary of state for work and pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, at a Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) Select Committee yesterday.

The verbal exchange erupted after Debbie had questioned the minister about the huge number of people who leave Job Seeker’s Allowance and simply disappear from records after being sanctioned in order to boost the UK’s employment data.

Mrs Abrahams said: “Hundreds of thousands of people have had their benefits stopped for a minimum of four weeks and then approximately a quarter of these people, from the research that I've seen, are disappearing.

“They are leaving and we don’t know where they are going. That’s an absolute indictment of this policy and it’s a little bit worrying if we’re trying to tout this internationally as a real success story.”

Mr Duncan Smith responded: “Well I don’t agree with any of that. I actually believe the sanctions regime as applied is fair, we always get the odd case of …”

Mrs Abrahams interrupted saying: “People are dying because of these sanctions.”

Recent research from the University of Oxford suggests that more than 500,000 Job Seekers Allowance claimants have ‘disappeared’ since the sanctions regime was toughened in October 2012.

This could mean the claimant count - one of the ways of measuring unemployment – is actually 20,000 to 30,000 higher each month than government figures. This suggests that in August 2014, the claimant count could have hit one million instead of being at 970,000.

Since the government’s regulations came into effect in October 2012 about half of all sanction decisions have led to people on JSA having their social security payments cut for at least 4 weeks, affecting over 2 million people.

Professor Stuckler, who has analysed data from 375 local authorities, said: “The data clearly show that many people are not leaving JSA for work but appear to be being pushed off in unprecedented numbers in association with sanctions.”

After the session Mrs Abrahams said: “It’s incredible that the minister can simply brush aside the mounting evidence that inappropriate use of social security sanctions is having on vulnerable people.

“We’ve already heard from a whistleblower who left his job as a JCP advisor because he refused to apply sanctions when people had done nothing wrong.

“And recently, over 200,000 people have signed a petition to look into the death of an ex-soldier and diabetic, from Stevenage, who died after having been sanctioned.

"He was found dead surrounded by job applications, penniless and with an empty stomach according to his post mortem. He couldn’t even afford to run his fridge so couldn’t keep his medicines cold.

She added: “Sanctions are being applied unfairly to job-seekers as well as the sick and disabled. And we shouldn't forget that most people on social security are actually in work but are struggling to make ends meet.”

Image courtesy of BBC, via Youtube, with thanks.

For more on this story and many others,
follow Mancunian Matters on Twitter and Facebook.

Comments

There is nothing "Sensational" about the truth being spoken, people are dying, being made homeless or losing everything they ever worked for because of this evil little man and his schemes - which incidentally have cost almost 3 times as much money as they were supposed to "save"

She speaks the Truth this government an Iain Duncan smith are vile and this is Disgusting , people are sanctioned for no or little reason and many die commit suicide , FACT.

David Clapson, 59, RIP sanctioned for missing one DWP meeting it cost him his life.Ex soldier and BT worker for 16 years who had diabetes, died in his flat in Stevenage on 20 July 2013, from diabetic ketoacidosis (caused by an acute lack of insulin). When Gill Thompson, his younger sister, discovered his body, she found his electricity had been cut off (meaning that the fridge where he kept his insulin was no longer working). There was very little left to eat in the flat – six tea bags, an out-of-date tin of sardines and a can of tomato soup. His pay-as-you-go mobile phone had just 5p credit left on it and he had only £3.44 in his bank account. The autopsy notes reveal that his stomach was empty.

Nick Barker – RIPFormer sheep farmer, Nick had a brain haemorrhage which left him struggling to walk. The father of two shot himself after the DWP claimed he was fit to work. Recording a suicide verdict, coroner Michael Oakley said the benefits assessment was key to the tragedy.

Robert Barlow – RIPRobert worked as a Government scientist but gave it up when diagnosed with severe cardiomypathy. The DWP deemed him fit to work. He died penniless under 2 years later.

Cecilia Burns – RIPCecilia had cancer. Atos called her in for one of their assessments. The DWP declared her fit to work, but she appealed the decision. She died shortly after winning her appeal.

Chris Cann – RIPAfter losing both legs & a finger to diabetes, Chris was housebound. Despite this, the DWP insisted he travelled outside and go in for one of their fit to work assessments or they would cut off his benefit. The letter shook Chris up badly. Despite the DWP changing their minds about him going in, he died of a suspected heart attack soon after.

Leanne Chambers – RIPLeanne had a degree in business studies from Teeside University, but she battled depression for a number of years. She had taken a turn for the worse after receiving a letter telling her to go to Atos for one of their ‘fit to work’ assessments. Leanne walked out of her home some time after midnight. Her body was later found in the River Wear.

David Groves – RIPDavid stopped work after 40 years on doctors orders after astring of strokes & a heart attack. Atos called him in for afit to work assessment but he died the night before. His widow says he was in a terrible state and it was the stress that killed him.

Stephen Hill – RIPStephen suffered heart problems & was waiting for major heart surgery. Atos found him fit for work after a ten minute check. He died of a heart attack.

Edward Jacques – RIPEdward fatally overdosed because he was not given a proper assessment by the DWP, an inquest heard.

Brian McArdle – RIPBrian was paralysed down one side, paralysed in one eye, he couldn’t speak. He died the day after being found fit to work by Atos.

Mark Mullins – RIP & Helen Mullins – RIPMark and Helen died in an apparent suicide pact. Former soldier Mark, 48, and Helen, 59, who had learning difficulties, ‘slipped through the net’ and were found side-by-side in their home after not having access to the correct benefits.

Tim Salter – RIPTim, aged 53, was partially sighted & suffered from mental health problems. Tim was found hanged at his home just days before he was due to be evicted over rent arrears. At an inquest, coroner Andrew Haigh concluded: “A major factor in his death was that his state benefits had been greatly reduced leaving him almost destitute and with threatened repossession of his home.”

And many more

, Genuine Disabled and sick and Unemployed are sanctioned with No Rights BTW a little info on Iain Duncan Smith and his CV he is a Liar.He never attended the Universita di Perugia in Italy it was the Universita per Stranieri, he never gained the any qualifications he claimed at that Time it was a one month course with no qualifications , also he claimed he was educated at Dunchurch College of Management , that is also a Lie , In fact,Dunchurch was the former staff college for GEC Marconi, for whom he worked in the 1980s. also with no qualifications , Now I would be sacked for that Lie ,